


Let The Water Wash Away Your Sins

by BlueEyedArcher



Category: Far Cry 5
Genre: Accidental Death, Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Baptism, Bliss (Far Cry), Drowning, M/M, Prompt Fic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-09-12
Updated: 2018-09-12
Packaged: 2019-07-11 08:48:54
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,970
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15968885
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BlueEyedArcher/pseuds/BlueEyedArcher
Summary: John carefully submerged them beneath the surface, their eyes closed and mouth shut, lips pursed into a thin line. His hands felt out the way their muscles relaxed, the bliss recently added to the water from the shoreline easing their fears and coaxing them into a new kind of freedom. He could feel them letting go, could feel the peace that spread across their mind and through their body. He spoke the prayer, asking God to cleanse them, to open their hearts and accept them into Eden.The white beams of the light illuminating their face beneath the murky darkness of the water. The peace was heavenly, almost angelic as John raised them up from the water, renewed. Reborn. Revived…





	Let The Water Wash Away Your Sins

The oppressive heat of the Montana summer was quenched by the cool dip into the water. The white banners were strewn about the river banks, easily spotted everywhere in the Valley, anywhere where water was located. Hanging elegantly upon the bridges crossing over to the nearby islands of land, flapping gracefully in the wind and glowing in a holy light when the sunshine hits them. It was a beautiful sight at the edge of daylight just before the sun sinks below the mountain range. Lanterns and the high beams of vehicles are the only light now, cutting through the darkness. The mugginess of day had yet to break, clinging to their skin and making their clothing tight. John waded into the river, one hand resting up their dearly beloved Deputy’s shoulder as he took them waist deep into the cool water. 

 

“This seems mighty romantic here John.” Rook teased, his eyes trailing up along the baptist's features, watching the subtle slack in his jaw when John met his gaze. Those blue eyes roaming up and down their figure, hands trailing across their shoulders in thoughtful little massaging motions. 

 

“Nervous?” John quipped back, watching their brow raise up disbelief. The smile spreading across both their lips. “Don’t worry, deputy. I’ll take good care of you.” The words were a gentle purr, low enough to remain out of ear shot of their audience but the playful little glances returned to him only further inflated the baptist’s pride. 

 

“I’ll hold you to that promise when I’m cold and wet.” Rook grinned, taking a slow deep breath to prepare for the dip. It wasn’t his idea to do this at night but the brothers wanted their privacy and John had a way with dramatic flair that was bordering on tantalizing and laughable. Though Rook couldn’t help but snicker at the fact that most days he encouraged the behavior. 

 

“Sounds like an invitation.” John smiled as his hands spread across the deputy’s chest to rest against their sternum, another careful hand resting on the back of their neck as he guided them down into the water. John’s lips parted into a approving smile as he started to lower them. The Father waited on the bank, preaching softly into the night, delivering god’s will upon the deputy, blessing the river to cleanse the sins from their soul. Jacob stood by quiet as ever, arms crossed expectantly. It was a private gathering this time. The deputy had come voluntarily, agreeing to wash away the sins they have accumulated tenfold since entering the county. It was going to be a fresh start for all of them. A new life. An end to the resistance and the unnecessary violence. 

 

John carefully submerged them beneath the surface, their eyes closed and mouth shut, lips pursed into a thin line. His hands felt out the way their muscles relaxed, the bliss recently added to the water from the shoreline easing their fears and coaxing them into a new kind of freedom. He could feel them letting go, could feel the peace that spread across their mind and through their body. He spoke the prayer, asking God to cleanse them, to open their hearts and accept them into Eden. 

 

The white beams of the light illuminating their face beneath the murky darkness of the water. The peace was heavenly, almost angelic as John raised them up from the water, renewed. Reborn. Revived…

 

Something was wrong, the weight was too heavy in his arms, slackened into something dreadful and wrong. He brushed the wet strands of hair away from their face, prayed for their first breath to come but it didn’t. No rushing gasp of lungs emptied by prolonged submersion. No spitting and sputtering or shaky attempts to move upright and catch their bearings. They were limp, a dead weight in his arms that was so  _ wrong.  _

 

“Deputy?” John asked, his gentle carding touch became more frantic as silence continued. “Deputy? If this is another of your tricks, it’s not funny.” He murmured quickly. 

 

“John?” Joseph’s voice rose, barely concealed concern as the baptist looked up towards his brothers, holding the center of the attention in his arms. 

 

“They- they’re not breathing.” John stammered.

 

Before either could make a move, Jacob’s long legs barreled into the water, storming through at thigh deep. He snatched the deputy from his little brother’s shaky arms, raising them up as he pressed an ear to their chest. Their heart lie silent, no change in their chest. No gentle rise and fall of breathing. It was silent.  “Fuck! John, you overdid it!” Jacob cursed as he carried the body to the shoreline, dropping to his knees as he started CPR. his large hands fisting over their sternum, strong compressions cracking down and jolting their body forward with the force. John slowly waded back to the shore, the cool water turning icy cold around his thighs as he watched the life bleed away, replaced by an unsettling pallor. 

 

“I didn’t mean to-he…he didn’t move. He didn’t thrash or show any sign that he was drowning.” John stumbled out, his words breathy, catching in his throat. He swallowed thickly as Joseph stared on after his eldest brother. His features unmoving, eyes shielded behind the yellow shades, turning pale blue orbs into seafoam green marbles glistening in the light. “Maybe it was the bliss...too much bliss in the water.” John mumbled, one hand pressed shakily over his lips as he stifled the rough break of his voice. 

 

John looked around where he was standing, knee deep in the soft waves lapping against his knees. The water was steady tonight, the current was so weak it barely moved the grass along the edges of the shore. The only motion came from their own rushed movements. The beams catching the soft muted tones of bliss rising off the surface like steam. Fractal colors exploding in their presence around them. ‘ _ Too much bliss in the water’.  _ The current didn’t disperse it like it was supposed to. It was something the baptist should have noticed before entering the river. He should have checked but it had never been a problem in the past. He was too eager to cleanse them. To be the one to bring the deputy into their fold. He was so  _ proud _ to be the one to do so. 

 

The deputy was special to each of them. He were an integral part to each brothers’ lives. They were important in their own way and each of them spent so long trying to coax the officer to follow their path. To cross the bridge to their side. John had been so privileged when he chose him. It was a heartfelt confession that made him ache with a yearning that would be greatly disapproved of by Joseph. And now….

 

His eyes fixed on their limp form, watching as Jacob worked relentlessly to bring them back. The weakness in the soldier’s arms, the weariness prickling on his skin, loosening each attempted compression. A little less forceful, a little less direct. Jacob was losing hope. Even as he tilted their head back and breathed all he could into their lungs but they remained in that gaping gawking expression like a fish out of water. It was unsightly, the sprawl of their limbs in the dirt. The soft sloshing of shoreline as the water rolled and stirred around Jacob.

 

Several minutes of silence settled before Jacob submitted to the cold hard reality they all had to face now. The body strewn across the earth as Jacob pushed himself to his feet. His boots sloshing with water as he took the few short steps towards John. His hands came to rest on his little brother’s shoulders, strong grip of nails digging in as he hissed through clenched teeth. “This is your fault! You did this!” Jacob growled, a sort of fury in his eyes that rivaled the rabidness of his Judges. John went limp in the soldier’s grasp as Jacob shook him roughly, eyes wide and glossy. His tattooed hands clutching at the front of Jacob’s shirt as the rough handling ceased and the baptist mustered enough mind to lash back at the accusation. 

 

“I know!” He shouted, fingers fisting up the front of Jacob’s shirt as he stood closer to his brother than was necessary, partly in anger and partly to keep his legs from giving out just yet. “It was an accident! I didn’t mean to- fuck!” John cursed as the icy gaze leveled on him like a knife at his throat. “I know I messed up.” It came a little softer now, a rough croak rising up to the open air. “I didn’t mean to. He didn’t even…” his voice trailed off as he gave a weak gesture towards the deputy. “He trusted me. He trusted me to take care of him, to deliver him to Eden and now he’s gone.” 

 

The silence resumed as the baptist broke down. The grip on his brother being the only thing keeping him on his feet as his chest rattled with unsteady gasps. “I’m sorry.” He pressed out in a sputter of air. Jacob’s stern features unfurled their tension and softened at the distress bubbling up inside his little brother. The hard grip that bruised John’s shoulders slid down to cup his arms in slow rubbing motions. The water still pattering against their legs as he held his little brother. The rough push of John’s arms buckled into a timid acceptance as Jacob wrapped a strong arm around his shoulders.

 

“I’m sorry Johnny. I didn’t mean to blame you.” The words were a low rumble past the ruddy scruff of the soldier’s features. Each warm breath pressed into the crown of raven hair as he consoled the baptist. 

 

“It wasn’t meant to be.” Joseph’s voice was the knife that sliced through the tension of the night air. Thick and suffocating, freeing them all of the oppressive fog that gathered around. “God’s plan did not intend for him to join us just yet. We rushed before our time was meant and in doing so, we lost him.” He lingered on the shoreline, both brothers gazing up at their middle sibling. Those intense eyes softening with unparalleled understanding. Hands extended outwards towards his brothers, Joseph beckoned them closer. “The Collapse is still upon us brothers. We have much to do and time is short.”

 

Jacob nodded slowly, the stoic expression returning at the mention of the times to come. His body wrapped tense around John as he guided the younger from the cold of the water and towards the truck. The heat already burning inside, ready to thaw them all after the cleansing. John didn’t feel any better with Joseph’s prophecies, feeling the emptiness taken claim within his heart. His eyes distant as Jacob wrapped a towel around him and squeezed his shoulder gently. Joseph’s scrutiny could be felt even when John remained distant, his gaze fixed on the seat in front of him, tracing patterns in the stitching of the upholstery. They rose only when the truck began to move and the last shreds of light offered a glimpse at their fallen interest. 

 

A part of John wished to retrieve them. Bring them into the truck with them and take them home to the Ranch where they belonged. With him, warm and safe and away from the predators that prowled the water’s edge. But there is no room for the dead when they enter Eden. No use for a carcass without the soul of the one residing. It felt wrong to abandon them hear but Jacob assured John the resistance would reclaim their pawn. That they were weak like that. The unspoken words crossed the baptist’s mind, curling him up into the same fabric as their foes.


End file.
